Sorry, I thought this was an enthusiast site, not something geared to Joe and Susie watching a 42" LCD from 18 feet away.
I can easily tell the difference between 720p and 1080p because I do happen to have the right equipment to tell.
I must be in the wrong place here then.

As for not hearing differences in MP3 encoding, I can using high quality headphones, a good source and a good headphone amp.
Again, I'm not really your average Joe.

But there is nothing "revolutionary" about sub par HD downloads and low bit rate MP3s.
(as the site's name used to imply with new technology)

BTW why does vinyl rule IYO?
It isn't because of the sound quality right?

I had a friend of mine...who was telling me about his 58 inch 1080p plasma. I told him that's a good buy. He claims he was watching things in 1080p - then I asked him what type of blu-ray or HD-DVD player did he have...He didn't have either. He told me that the only HD content he had was from DirectTV - I informed him at best, He's viewing 1080i content, and if he wanted to see what his set could really do - buy a BD player. He's a regular Joe and knows nothing. But you also have those that are not Regular Joe's but are satisvied with 720p content. On a screen smaller than 50 inches most people can't tell the difference between 720p and 1080p - because the pixel size is too small. You can tell on a 106 inch front projection. I can tell the difference in MP3's and lossless content - but what am I listening to? That's what will make the judgement on how I'm listening. MP3's for backround music - lossless for critical listening. The same rule will apply for downloads. Have you ever wanted to see a movie just for laughs? I don't buy comedies in HD - not worth it - I'm not watching it critically - I just want to laugh. Action and animation - those get the HD nod. I all depends on the content. A few of the people on this forum have systems that will kill mine and yours! They are not average Joes and Janes by a long shot. But I believe they are realist - that's why I love this site! They understand that there are different levels of enthusiasm. Some are more enthusiastic about speakers, some about media, others cabling, others PC's/Macs, and others convergence. You're at the right site, but learn to love our differences about a common hobby. I've never been a Mac fan but this site has shown me the respect that Mac deserves - and I'm now tempted to try a few Apple products.

I had a friend of mine...who was telling me about his 58 inch 1080p plasma. I told him that's a good buy. He claims he was watching things in 1080p - then I asked him what type of blu-ray or HD-DVD player did he have...He didn't have either. He told me that the only HD content he had was from DirectTV - I informed him at best, He's viewing 1080i content, and if he wanted to see what his set could really do - buy a BD player. He's a regular Joe and knows nothing. But you also have those that are not Regular Joe's but are satisvied with 720p content. On a screen smaller than 50 inches most people can't tell the difference between 720p and 1080p - because the pixel size is too small. You can tell on a 106 inch front projection. I can tell the difference in MP3's and lossless content - but what am I listening to? That's what will make the judgement on how I'm listening. MP3's for backround music - lossless for critical listening. The same rule will apply for downloads. Have you ever wanted to see a movie just for laughs? I don't buy comedies in HD - not worth it - I'm not watching it critically - I just want to laugh. Action and animation - those get the HD nod. I all depends on the content. A few of the people on this forum have systems that will kill mine and yours! They are not average Joes and Janes by a long shot. But I believe they are realist - that's why I love this site! They understand that there are different levels of enthusiasm. Some are more enthusiastic about speakers, some about media, others cabling, others PC's/Macs, and others convergence. You're at the right site, but learn to love our differences about a common hobby. I've never been a Mac fan but this site has shown me the respect that Mac deserves - and I'm now tempted to try a few Apple products.

I hear you and you share many of my same sentiments as well.
I'm just a little frustrated in the attitudes by those on the losing side I guess.
When it comes from those whose opinions are held high by others then it starts to rattle my cage a little.

Man if Apple ever "wakes up" and realize that they are really a software company first, they would over take the home PC market in less then a year by selling the Mac OS to everyone since there are now no hardware reasons that would prevent them from doing so.
(Now hand shake agreements between buddies is another matter. )

I hear you and you share many of my same sentiments as well.
I'm just a little frustrated in the attitudes by those on the losing side I guess.
When it comes from those whose opinions are held high by others then it starts to rattle my cage a little.

Man if Apple ever "wakes up" and realize that they are really a software company first, they would over take the home PC market in less then a year by selling the Mac OS to everyone since there are now no hardware reasons that would prevent them from doing so.
(Now hand shake agreements between buddies is another matter. )

Now you've just hit the nail on the head - Apple should make its OS availabe to everyone. PC builders like myself love to mess with the inards of our rigs (just as some high end people love to modify the caps and such in speakers and D to A converters).

Apple is a systems company. Operating System software is only a part of what they do.

The OS is technically available to anyone who buys a copy of it over the counter - it just won't work easily in anything other than Apple's hardware. Constraining the supported configuration insures a consistent level of quality and stability as well as lowers support costs, though it does raise the irritation levels of those who would like to try it, but not enough to buy one of their systems.

There have been "enterprising" folks who have "messed with it" to work on hardware designed to run MS Windows, but it it neither encouraged nor supported. Prior to this issue was the issue of allowing Macintosh clones. That did not work out too well for IBM did it???

The Linux OS is essentially supported by the tinkerers, but it is not nearly as polished, but it does have a LOT in common with the core of MacOS X. In fact, before the MacOS X was released to the masses, early developers were encourages to obtain one of the versions of Linux for PowerPC (MkLinux or LinuxPPC) to get acquainted with its features, and differences from the existing OS version. There was also a version of the OS core called Open Darwin that ran on x86 hardware. Now, the reason for that work was clear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by prerich

Now you've just hit the nail on the head - Apple should make its OS available to everyone. PC builders like myself love to mess with the inards of our rigs (just as some high end people love to modify the caps and such in speakers and D to A converters).

HD-DVD Death Made Official. Downloads To Kill Blu-Ray Next.
By Rob Beschizza February 16, 2008 | 7:12:06 PMCategories: High Def
Toshiba put HD-DVD out of its misery today. Reuters confirmed this afternoon that it will cease manufacturing HD-DVD equipment, following earlier reports from Japan's NHK public broadcasting network.

This leaves Blu-Ray as the presumptive victor in the irrelevant optical disk format war. It now must face up to the real competition: the continuing success of DVD and the growing popularity of downloads, both on the internet and on-demand cable TV.

The end comes only a day after Wal-Mart announced it would no longer carry HD-DVD stuff. This will go a long way to confirming the view, long-held by cynics, that the mega-retailer always held the executioner's axe to begin with, and was merely waiting until it was clear which format's camp had the most densely-stuffed brown envelopes to throw at Hollywood.